governess

noun

gov·​ern·​ess ˈgə-vər-nəs How to pronounce governess (audio)
1
: a woman who governs
2
: a woman who cares for and supervises a child especially in a private household

Examples of governess in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Julie Andrews was just as doting in real life on the set of The Sound of Music as her governess character Maria, according to her young costars. Jen Juneau, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025 Winifred, the protagonist of this Victorian-era grotesque, takes a position as a governess at an English manor. The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025 Deborah Kerr stars as Miss Giddens, a woman working her first job as a governess for a rich bachelor (Michael Redgrave), moving to his country estate to look after two orphans who are in his custody. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025 The movie recounts the story of the von Trapp family, and the novice nun Maria who serves as governess of the seven children, and later (spoiler alert) marries their father only to have to flee the Nazi regime following the annexation of Austria. Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey, Contributor, CNBC, 20 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for governess

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of governess was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Governess.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/governess. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

governess

noun
gov·​ern·​ess ˈgəv-ər-nəs How to pronounce governess (audio)
: a woman who teaches and trains a child in a private home

More from Merriam-Webster on governess

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